History Brief： The Olmec

The earliest of the Mesoamerican civilizations was the Olmec. What do historians know about the Olmec? How did the Olmec live? The term Mesoamerica is used to describe the historical region and cultural area of Mexico and Central America. Mesoamerican cultures thrived throughout the Central American region for hundreds of years before the Spaniards arrived in the 1500s. Prominent Mesoamerican cultures include the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec. The oldest of these Mesoamerican cultures is the Olmec. Olmec culture thrived from approximately 1500 BCE up to about 400 BCE. It helped lay the foundation for other Mesoamerican cultures that followed. Their success was probably due to the area in which they settled. This was a region of Central America which had adequate sources of fresh water as well as fertile soil for raising crops. Little is known about Olmec life, but historians and archaeologists have learned some information. The Olmec most likely used a slash-and-burn method of farming. They would clear the forests of shrubs and other growth, use the field until they exhausted the soil's nutrients, and then clear another field. They most likely grew beans, squash, maize, and sweet potatoes. Their diet was likely supplemented with meat from the animals native to that region, including fish, turtles, birds, possum, raccoons, rabbits, and deer. It has also been discovered that they ate dogs as a source of protein. The Olmec are most likely the first Mesoamerican civilization to do several things, including keeping track of time with a calendar, using a compass, and developing a written language. Evidence dates their written language to about 650 BCE, which would make it the oldest written language in the Western Hemisphere. Olmec religious practices also seem to be the origin of the later religious customs of the Maya and Aztecs. The Olmec could also be the creators of the Mesoamerican ball game. Little is known about this game, except that it was played with a solid rubber ball that could weigh up to nine pounds. Every Mesoamerican tribe had a version of this game, and it was incredibly popular. The rules and method of play have largely been lost to history, but ball game courts have been found in the ruins of Mesoamerican cities across Central America. Olmec artifacts have been found throughout Central America and Mexico, suggesting that they were part of an extensive trading network. Tribes used the network to acquire things that were not plentiful in their region by exchanging items that they had an abundance of. For example, some regions were rich in obsidian. Obsidian is a volcanic rock that was valuable because it could be used to make durable tools with sharp edges. The Olmec left behind a large amount of sculptures and other forms of artwork which give archaeologists clues to their civilization. The most famous example is the Olmec colossal heads. These colossal heads are anywhere from 4 to 11 feet tall and weigh from 6 to 50 tons. They depict the features of adult men and are most likely the carved images of Olmec rulers. Seventeen of these colossal heads have been discovered.